Latest news with #culturalidentity
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Saudi Arabia DENIES it will allow alcohol sale at 600 sites across the nation in preparation for 2034 world cup
Saudi Arabia has pushed back on a report claiming the Muslim majority country would partially lift its ban on alcohol in preparation for the 2034 World Cup. An official today was pressed to deny that Riyadh was planning to relax its 73-year ban on alcohol after a report to the contrary passed through foreign media. The initial report appeared on a wine blog last week and said that Saudi authorities were planning to allow the controlled sale of alcohol ahead of the World Cup. There were whispers that authorities were open to selling wine, beer and cider at licensed venues, while maintaining a ban on drinks with greater than 20% ABV. Booze would remain banned in public, homes, shops, and fan zones, per the report. International media cited a purportedly official statement that said the aim was 'to welcome the world without losing cultural identity'. It did not give a source for the information. But it was enough to spark vigorous debate inside Saudi Arabia about the kingdom's direction. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is pushing a series of reforms to open up the country for tourism and business, and opened an alcohol store in Riyadh last year. The shop, the first of its kind, served non-Muslim diplomats exclusively. Prior to that, alcohol was available only through diplomatic mail or on the black market. Reports of a pivot appeared came abruptly. The Saudi government had said previously that it had no intentions of lifting the ban. While officials were quick to shoot down the claims that alcohol rules would be relaxed for the tournament, the impact has already been felt. Several global hotel chains are already tweaking their blueprints to accommodate alcohol zones. Initial reports had said the kingdom could expect to see such venues introduced by 2026 - eight years before the World Cup kicks off. Offering alcohol to foreign attendees would be particularly controversial in the spiritual 'home of Islam'. In its bid to attract Western guests, the government has already relaxed rules on hosting female performers - but this too had proven controversial inside the country. The Saudi ambassador to the UK had previously said alcohol would be banned when they host the World Cup in 2034, sparking fury among England fans. Initial reports had said the kingdom could expect to see such venues introduced by 2026 - eight years before the World Cup kicks off (Dubai pictured) Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud told LBC radio in February: 'There is no alcohol at all. Rather like our weather, it's a dry country. 'Everyone has their own culture. We're happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of our culture but we don't want to change our culture for someone else. 'It is not a Saudi event, it is a world event and, to a large extent, we will welcome everyone who wants to come.' This struck down suggestions that Saudi Arabia would follow in the footsteps of Qatar, another Muslim country, when they hosted the football tournament in 2022. Supporters there were able to buy alcohol from selected hotels, but not at the stadiums.
The Independent
24-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Only 900 speakers of the Sanna language remain. Now Cyprus' Maronites are mounting a comeback
Ash dangled precariously from Iosif Skordis' cigarette as he reminisced with fellow villagers in a language on the edge of extinction, one that partly traces its roots to the language Jesus Christ once spoke. The 97-year-old Skordis is one of only 900 people in the world who speak Cypriot Maronite Arabic, or Sanna. Today, his village of Kormakitis is the last bastion of a language once spoken by tens of thousands of people across dozens of villages. The tongue, an offshoot of Syrian Arabic that has absorbed some Greek, has been passed from generation to generation in this windswept community in Cyprus. Until less than two decades ago, there was no written script, or even an alphabet, since parents transmitted it to children in conversation. Only a handful of people are trained to teach it. Sanna is at risk of disappearing, according to the Council of Europe's minority language experts. One Indigenous language dies every two weeks, the United Nations estimates, diminishing the tapestry of human knowledge one strand at a time. But the 7,500-strong Maronite community in Cyprus is pushing back. With help from the Cypriot government and the European Union, it has built schools, created a Sanna alphabet to publish textbooks and begun classes to keep the language alive and thriving. 'Sanna … is undoubtedly one of the most distinguishing features of our cultural identity,' said Yiannakis Moussas, the Maronite community's representative in the Cypriot legislature. He spoke in the Kormakitis coffeehouse adorned with soccer trophies and banners emblazoned with a Lebanese cedar. 'And it's striking evidence of our heritage. The fact that we speak a kind of Arabic over so many centuries makes it clear that we descend from areas of Syria and Lebanon.' Roots in Syria and Lebanon The language was brought to Cyprus by waves of Arab Christians fleeing persecution by invading Arab Muslim fighters in what is now Syria, Lebanon and Israel, starting as early as the 8th century. Sanna at its root is a semitic language that, unlike other Arabic dialects, contains traces of the Aramaic that was spoken by populations prior to the Arab invasion of the Levant, according to University of Cyprus linguistics professor Marilena Kariolemou, who leads the team responsible for the language's revitalization. That's because the Maronite community in Cyprus was isolated from other Arabic-speaking populations. But as Maronites increasingly interacted with the island's majority Greek-speaking population and became bilingual, Sanna evolved to incorporate several Greek words, adding to its uniqueness among the many Arabic dialects. According to Kariolemou, Sanna contains five vowels similar to Greek and another three similar to Aramaic, while consonants whose sounds are formed in the back of the throat have diminished, likely because of the Greek influence. Sanna also adopted Greek syntax, she said. The effects of a Turkish invasion Until the mid-1970s, the Maronite community was largely centered around four villages: Asomatos, Ayia Marina, Karpasia and Kormakitis as the cultural center. But the 1974 Turkish invasion that split Cyprus into a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north and a Greek Cypriot south, where the internationally recognized government is seated, saw most Maronites dispersed throughout the south. Asomatos and Ayia Marina are empty of Maronite inhabitants and are now Turkish army camps. Moussas, the community representative, said the consequences of 1974 were 'catastrophic' for the Maronites as they gravitated toward the island's major cities, putting their culture and language at risk as children attended Greek-speaking schools and intermarriage with Greek Cypriots increased. It's said that currently, only one in five Maronite marriages are between members of the community. A hope for revival That left Kormakitis as the linguistic 'hive' for Cypriot Maronite Arabic, only spoken by residents over 50, according to retired teacher Ilias Zonias. Born in Kormakitis, Zonias is the only native Sanna speaker qualified to teach the language. Kormakitis was a closed society in which residents spoke Sanna, while their kids went to school not knowing Greek. That's how the language was preserved, Zonias said. Still, speakers after 1974 began to dwindle until around the turn of the millennium, when the Maronite community with the help of the Cypriot government increased efforts to save the language. Cyprus' 2004 membership in the EU was a milestone for Sanna as the bloc poured resources into safeguarding Indigenous minority languages, a designation that Cypriot authorities had bestowed. Kariolemou said her team in 2013 set up a recorded archive of spoken Sanna, some 280 hours long, for further study. A 27-letter alphabet was created in mostly Latin characters, thanks mainly to the work of linguist Alexander Borg. Grammar was formulated and refined, enabling the publication of books for teaching Sanna. Efforts to attract young families Language courses are in their early stages, Skordis said, with about 100 children and adults in classes in Kormakitis and the Saint Maronas primary school in the Nicosia suburb of Lakatamia. A summer language camp for children and adults in Kormakitis has also been created. An initiative is underway for native-born speakers — primarily Kormakitis residents — to learn how to teach Sanna. At Ayios Maronas primary school, 20 kindergarten-age children are learning the language with books containing QR codes that can be scanned so students can follow an audio adaptation on school-provided tablets. But for Sanna to have a real future, there is no substitute for young families returning in large numbers to Kormakitis, where the language can be taught in the newly built, EU-funded school, Moussas said. Community leaders, however, aren't pleased with the low number of people expressing interest. Moussas said community leaders and the Cypriot government are looking into offering incentives, primarily to make it easier to find housing. For Zonias, keeping the language alive for the ages would be the crowning achievement of his career. 'I don't want to be the last teacher of Sanna,' he said.
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Brown Lip Liner Must-Haves: Saint Laurahs' Picks For Melanated Girls
Brown lip liner isn't just a trend — it's a legacy. Once born out of necessity, this beauty staple has grown into a symbol of cultural identity and creativity for Black and Latina women. In the decades when the beauty industry failed to provide inclusive options, women of color innovated with what they had — often using brown eyeliner pencils to define their lips, contour their features, and create iconic looks that have stood the test of time. Today, brown lip liner continues to evolve, with major brands finally catching up and offering a more inclusive range of shades. To dig deeper into its significance and explore the best liners on the market right now, I spent a day at Sephora and Ulta in SoHo, NYC, with celebrity makeup artist Saint Laurahs', whose clients include JT, Doechii, Baby Tate, the Claremont Twins, and more. 'For Black and Latina women, brown liner were never just about makeup — it was about making something out of nothing,' Saint explains. 'It became a creative act of self-definition when the industry wasn't making products for our undertones.' Saint reflects on the legacy of icons like Mary J. Blige, Lil' Kim, and Selena, who all made brown lips their signature look. 'It was bold but still natural. It enhanced our features in a way that pinks and reds just couldn't.' Brown lip liner has always been more than just a product — it's a cultural tool. From the underground beauty hacks of the '90s to today's high-end shelves, it continues to reflect the creativity, resilience, and evolving standards of beauty within communities of color. Finding the right brown lip liner is still a challenge. 'The biggest issue with brown liners today is the undertone,' Saint says. 'A lot of liners are either too warm or too dark. You have to balance them — sometimes by pairing with a pink lipstick or layering with gloss — to soften the look.' Saint matches lip liners to her clients by skin tone, undertone, and the vibe they're going for. 'If someone wants a natural look, I go lighter. For something bolder, I'll pick a deep brown. There's no rule — just intention.' 'This one is a perfect cool tone brown for lighter clients,' Saint says. 'It blends beautifully and doesn't overpower the lips.' Refy Lip Sculpt in Fawn Refy Long-lasting and versatile, this light brown liner comes with a setting liquid to keep it in place. 'It works on fair to medium complexions and enhances any look,' she notes. When asked to build her ideal trio, Saint didn't hesitate: Mac Lip Liner in Chestnut Mac Cosmetics 'This combo is playful, feminine, and universally flattering,' she says. Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lip Liner in Gifted Rare Beauty If you're looking for an everyday nude lip that pairs with any outfit or occasion, Saint recommends:
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Apocalyptic sunsets at the дача by Svetlana Sterlin
The closing poem of Svetlana Sterlin's debut collection, these verses revisit bucolic childhood scenes of her family's rural Russian village and questions the meaning of childhood, adult autonomy, and the meaning we attach to cultural labels. Svetlana Sterlin lives and writes in Meanjin, where she also works as a swimming coach. She was the winner of the 2023 Helen Anne Bell Poetry Bequest Award, and her debut poetry collection If Movement Was a Language is out now with Vagabond Press.
News24
20-05-2025
- Health
- News24
Hair hibernation: how to protect your hair during winter
For many women, winter poses unique challenges for hair care. The combination of cold temperatures, indoor heating and dry air can sap moisture from hair, leading to brittleness and breakage. Protective hairstyles offer a strategic solution that not only safeguards hair health but also celebrates individuality. Hair is a biological fibre that is primarily made up of keratin and its health is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Black hair, with its unique structure characterised by tight curls or coils, is prone to dryness due to the difficulty of natural oils travelling down the hair shaft. According to a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, maintaining moisture is crucial to preventing structural damage, and protective hairstyles play a pivotal role in this. Protective hairstyles are characterised by their ability to shield hair from environmental aggressors and reduce the need for daily manipulation. Rooted in African traditions, they hold cultural significance and have become symbols of identity. As cultural expressions, these hairstyles serve as both functional and artistic forms of self-expression. 'Braiding is not just a hairstyle; it's a means of preserving tradition while providing a functional solution to hair care challenges in winter,' says Dr Imani Johnson, renowned trichologist. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TRUELOVE Magazine (@truelovemagazine) Tips for braiding during winter Pre-braid preparation: Begin with a deep conditioning treatment to lock in moisture. A study by the American Academy of Dermatology found that conditioning treatments improve hair elasticity and strength. Scalp care: Keep the scalp clean and hydrated. A light oil massage can stimulate blood circulation, promoting healthy hair growth.
